Valve



Jan 27, 1942. v D, DRAKE 2,271,391

VALVE Filed June 3, 1940 INVENTOR. 6 18M a Z 2 BY Patented Jan. 27, 1942UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE Lewis Driver Drake, Oakland, Calif.

Application June 3, 1940, Serial No. 338,447

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a valve structure of the compression type.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplifythe construction and operation of valves; to provide a valve structureembodying a valve body, a valve seat, a stem and a valve head with adetachable connection between them, said detachable connection forming aswivel which permits rotation of the stem while the valve head remainsstationary on the valve seat; to provide means for securing the valvehead against rotation both while in and out of engagement with the valveseat; to provide a valve structure comprising a head member. a pin,preferably a screw, extending therethrough to permit swiveling orrotation of the head with relation to the screw, and a rigid spacer inthe form of a disc within the valve head covering the screw, and awear-absorbing facing seated on said spacer and secured in the head; andfurther, to provide means for temporarily securing the screw againstrotation with relation to the valve head when applying or removing saidhead from the stem.

The valve structure is shown by way of illustration in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Fig. 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section ofthe valve;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged central vertical section showing one form of valvehead and the method of attachment to the stem;

Fig. 4 is a similar section showing another form of structure;

Fig. 5 is a similar section showing the use of a lock washer;

Fig. 6 is a similar section showing the valve head provided with a lugto secure the head against rotation;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the end of the valve stemcut away to reduce the frictional area between the valve head and stem;

Fig. 8'is a section similar to Fig. 7, showing the valve head cut awayto reduce the frictional resistance between the valve head and stem;

Figa'9 is a perspective view of the detachable head, showing its innerface grooved for the reception of an implement, and

Fig. 10 is a vertical cross section of the valve head showing the headslotted and perforated for the reception of an implement, said viewshowing the spacer and wear-absorbing disc removed.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly to Fig. 1, Aindicates -a valve body provided withinlet and outlet connections asindicated at 2 and 3. These-may be internally or externally threaded, orthey may be flanged, as conditions may demand. Formed within the valvebody is a cross partition 4 having the usual flow passage 5 andsurrounding valve seat 6, and extending upwardly from the body anddisposed centrally thereof is a neck member I, the upper end of which isexternally threaded to receive a packing retaining and compressing cap8. Extending through the cap is a valve stem 8. A portion of this stemis enlarged, as at H), and is externally threaded to engage cooperatingthreads ll formed on the interior of the neck. Interposed between awasher, indicated at I2, which rests on top of the neck portion, and thecap 8, is a suitable packing material to prevent leakage around thestem. The lower end of the valve stem, indicated at l4,'carries a valvehead generally indicated at B, while the upper end of the stem isprovided with a handle l5 whereby rotation is transmitted to move thevalve head into and out of engagement with the valve seat.

The structure just described is more or less standard in construction,and has therefore been only briefly described. The invention hereinvolved is directed to the valve head and its connection with the valvestem and also with the valve body. It comprises a valve head which maybe formed by stamping, die-casting, or otherwise. Its lower face isprovided with a recess Hi to receive and secure a wear-resisting facingmaterial in the form of a disc I1 which may be made from leather,rubber, vulcanized rubber, fiber, or other materials; in other words,the disc may be made from a resilient or a comparatively hard material,depending upon its use, and the lower face of the disc may be in theform of a cone or it may be flat or otherwise shaped, to conform to theseat which it is to engage.

The depression formed for the reception of the wear-absorbing disc issurrounded by an annular flange, and this may be thicker at the outeredge,

as shown in Fig. 3, to provide a recess which is larger in diameter atthe inner end, or the flange may be of substantially uniform thicknessthroughout, to permit the flange to be spun or crimped inwardly topermanently secure the wear-resisting disc, as shown for instance inFig. 4. When using the type of flange shown in Fig. 3, a disc ofresilient or compressible material should be employed, as it will haveto be compressed in order that it may be introduced through the smallerouter end of the recess.

In all instances the head is provided with a central opening 18 topermit a pin, preferably in the form of a screw l9 and hereinafter to bereferred to as a screw, to pass therethrough and to permit the screw tobe screwed into a threaded passage formed in the end of the stem.Further, the screw head must be provided with a shoulder 2|] to engagethe end of the stem, said shoulder providing sufiicient clearancebetween the head and the end of the stem to permit free relativerotation between them; in other words, to permit a swivel or rotatableconnection between the head and stem. A spacer disc 2! of metal or someother rigid material is placed on the bottom of the recess between thescrew head and the wearabsorbing material, to provide a firm uniformseat for said material and to prevent contact with the head of thescrew, as such contact might produce a binding action or resist rotationbetween the swiveled parts.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a lock washer 22 is shown between the end of the stemand the shoulder on the screw. This serves the obvious function ofpreventing accidental release of the screw.

In Fig. '7 the end of the stem is recessed as shown at 23 to reduce thefrictional area between the stem and head to a minimum. In Fig. 8 thesame result is obtained by recessing the surface of the head as shown at23a.

Where a compressible or removable wear-absorbing disc is employed, asshown in Fig. 3, access to the slotted head of the screw, to unscrew orto insert and tighten the same, is obtained by removing the discs l1 and2 I, but where the wearabsorbing disc I! and the underlying disc 2| arepermanently secured in the recess of the head, as shown in Fig. 4, theslotted end of the screw head is not accessible, and other means mustaccordingly be provided to temporarily secure the valve head and screwagainst rotation with relation to each other, as the screw couldotherwise not be screwed into the end of the valve stem.

To accomplish this a hole 25 is drilled transversely through the screwand through the valve head, as indicated at 26 in Fig. 4. An implementin the form of apin or a short length of stiff wire is passed throughthe holes 25 and 26, and when this is done the head and screw are lockedwith relation to each other and may be rotated as a unit when the screwis being screwed into the end of the stem; and when it is seated andtightened against its shoulder the pin may be removed, thereby leavingthe valve head free to swivel with relation to the stem.

In the structure shown in Fig. 10 the slot in the screw head serves thesame function as the transverse hole 25, and a slot 21 together with thetwo aligning holes 28 is formed in the valve head. In the structureshown in Fig. 9, the slot in the screw head is again employed and theinner face of the valve head is grooved as indicated at 29. Hence when apin or like implement is passed through the drilled holes and/or groovesor slot in the screw head, a temporary interlock is formed which permitsinsertion or removal of the screw and valve head from the stem, it beingunderstood that the cap 8, together with the stem and valve head, isremoved from the valve body to facilitate this operation.

In certain types of valve use, particularly where high temperatures orhigh pressures, or both, are encountered, minor distortion, such as thatdue to unequal expansion, become of greater magnitude, and to limittheir wear and maintain complete closure it is preferable not only thatrotation of the valve on its seat be prevented but that the same partsof the valve and seat make the same contacts on allclosures. Toaccomplish this, a lug 28a is formed at one side of the valve head. Thislug extends radially and outwardly from the valve head and into a slotformed between a pair of lugs 30 formed in the valve body. Thisstructure prevents rotation of the valve head, whether in or out ofengagement with the valve seat; thus if there are any irregular surfacespresented, either by the valve facing or by the valve seat, such faceswill always register when the valve is raised and later brought backinto engagement with the valve seat. Hence the chance of leakage ismaterially reduced.

The valve head structure and connection'shown here providesmetal-to-metal contact between all of the rotating parts. The valve stemis free to rotate at all times without imparting rotary movement to thevalve head and facing, regardless of whether the valve is in or out ofengagement with the valve seat. By the use of the rigid spacer 2| thefacing material I1, whether constructed of compressible or of hardmaterial, is kept out of contact with the screw head, and free rotatingof the stem and screw when raising, lowering or applying pressure to thevalve head and facing is insured. Further, the bearing or contact areabetween the rotatable stem and valve head may be varied as shown inFigs. '7 and 8, to give excellent valve closure with a minimum offriction.

While certain features of my invention have been more or lessspecifically described and illustrated, I nevertheless wish itunderstood that changes may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described and illustrated my invention, what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a compression valve structure of the character described, a valvebody having a valve seat, a rotatable valve stem, a valve headcomprising a member having a peripheral flange projecting from one faceto form a recess, a shouldered'screw extending through the valve headfrom the recess and threaded into the stem and forming a swivelledconnection between the valve head and the stem and attaching the valvehead to the stem, said screw being rigid with the stem and rotatable infixed relation therewith independently of the valve head, awear-resisting member seated in the recess and permanently securedtherein by the peripheral fiange and permanently covering the screwhead, and adapted to be carried into contact with the valve seat by thestem, said valve head being provided between-the face contacting thestem and the wear-resisting member with means for affording access tothe screw for rotating the same after the wear-resisting member has beenpermanently secured in said recess, whereby the head, the wear-resistingmember and the screw may be assembled as a permanent unit before beingapplied to the stem..

2. In a compression valve structure of the character described, a valvebody having a valve seat,

stem and rotating integral with the stem, the valv'e'head being free tocease rotation while in contact with the valve seat, a wear resistingmember seated in the recess and permanently secured therein by saidflange, said wear-resisting member permanently covering the screw head,and means on the screw engageable temporarily from a point radial fromthe screw for rotating the screw for attaching and detaching theswivelled valve head and the valve stem.

3. In a compression valve structure of the character described, a valvebody having a valve seat, a rotatable stem, a swivelled valve head onthe stem, said valve head comprising a disk-like member having aperipheral flange projecting from one face to form a recess. ashouldered screw extending through the valve head from the inner face ofthe recess and screwed into the stem, attaching the valve head to thestem forming a swivelled connection between the head and the stem, thescrew being rigidly attached to the stem and rotating integral with thestem, the valve head being free to cease rotation while in contact withthe valve seat, a wear resisting member seated in the recess andpermanently secured therein by said flange, said wear-resisting memberpermanently covering the screw head, and means in the swivelled head foraccessible engagement temporarily with the screw from a point radialfrom the screw for attaching and detaching the swivelled valvehead andthe stem.

4. In a compression valve structure of the character described, a valvebody having a valve seat, a. rotatable stem, a swivelled valve head onthe stem, said valve head comprising a disk-like member having aperipheral flange projecting from one face to form a recess, ashouldered screw extending through the valve head from the inner face ofthe recess and screwed into the stem, attaching the valve head to thestem forming a swivelled connection between the head and the stem, thescrew being rigidly attached to the stem and rotating integral with thestem, the valve head being free to cease rotation while in contact withthe valve seat, a wear resisting member seated in the recess andpermanently secured therein by said flange, said wear-resisting memberpermanently covering the screw head, and implement actuated means fortemporarily engaging the screw permanently assembled within theswivelled valve head from a point radial to the screw for rotating thescrew for attaching and detaching the swivelled valve head and the stem.

5. In a compression valve structure of the character described, a valvebody having a valve seat, a rotatable stern, a swivelled valve head onthe stem, said valve head comprising a disk-like member having aperipheral flange projecting from one face to form a recess, ashouldered screw extending through the valve head from the inner face ofthe recess and screwed into the stem, attaching the valve head to thestem forming a swivelled connection between the head and the stem, thescrew being rigidly attached to the stem and rotating integral with thestem, the valve head being free to cease rotation while in contact withthe valve seat, a wear resisting member seated in the recess andpermanently secured therein by said flange, said wear-resisting memberpermanently covering the screw head, a passage formed in the screw, apassage formed in the swivelled valve head adapted to align with thepassage in the screw, said passages being adapted to receive temporarilya pin whereby the screw permanently assembled within the swivelled valvehead is rotated in attaching and detaching the swivelled valve head andthe stem.

6. In a compression valve structure of the character described, a valvebody havinga valve seat, a rotatable stem, a swivelled valve head on thestem, said valve head comprising a disk-like member having a peripheralflange projecting from one face to form a recess, a shouldered screwextending through the valve head from the inner face of the recess andscrewed into the stem, attaching the valve head to the stem forming aswivelled connection between the head and the stem, the screw beingrigidly attached to the stem and rotating integral with the stem, thevalve head being free to cease rotation while in contact with the valveseat, a wear resisting member seated in the recess and permanentlysecured therein by said flange, said wear-resisting member permanentlycovering the screw head, said wear-resisting member having a continuousunbroken face on the valve seat side, and means on the screw engageabletemporarily from a point radial from the screw for rotating the screwfor attaching and detaching the swivelled valve head and the valve stem.

7. In a compression valve structure of the character described, a valvebody having a valve seat, a rotatable stem, a swivelled valve head onthe stem, said valve head comprising a disk-like member having aperipheral flange projecting from one face to form a recess, ashouldered screw extending through the valve head from the inner face ofthe recess and screwed into the stem, attaching the valve head to thestem forming a swivelled connection between the head and the stem, thescrew being rigidly attached to the stem and rotating integral with thestem, the valve head being free to cease rotation while in contact withthe valve seat, a spacer plate located in said recess and awear-resisting member also located in said recess, said spacer platebeing located in the inner portion of the recess and covered by thewear-resisting member with its periphery bearing against the inner faceof said disk-like member recess and presenting a solid unyieldingsurface to the wear-resisting member and permanently covering the screwhead and spacing the screw head from the wear-resisting member, saidwear-resisting member being seated in the recess exteriorly of thespacer plate and permanently secured therein, and means on the screwengagable temporarily from a point radial from the screw for rotatingthe screw for attaching and detaching the swivelled valve head and thevalve stem.

8. In a compression valve structure of the character described, a valvebody having a valve seat, a rotatable stem, a swivelled valve head onthe stem, said valve head comprising a disk-like member having aperipheral flange projecting from one face to form a recess, ashouldered sEFew extending through the valve head from the inner face ofthe recess and screwed into the stem, attaching the valve head to thestem forming a swivelled connection between the head and the stem, thescrew being rigidly attached to the stem and rotating integral with thestem, the valve head being free to cease rotation while in contact withthe valve seat, a wear resisting member seated in the recess andpermanently secured therein by said flange, said wear-resisting memberpermanently covering the screw head,

and means on the screw engageable temporarily from a point radial fromthe screw for rotating the screw for attaching and detaching theswivelled valve head and the valve stem, said stem being provided with acentral recess formed in the inner end of the stem reducing frictionalcontact area between the stem and the valve head.

9. In a compression valve structure of the character described, a valvebody having a valve seat, a rotatable stem, a swivelled valve head onthe stem, said valve head comprising a disk-like member having aperipheral flange projecting from one face to form a recess, ashouldered screw extending through the valve head from the inner face ofthe recess and screwed into the stem, attaching the valve head to thestem forming a swivelled connection between the head and the stem, thescrew being rigidly attached to the stem and rotating integral with thestem, the valve head being free to cease rotation while in contact withthe valve seat, a wear resisting member seated in the recess andpermanently secured therein by said flange, said wear-resisting memberpermanently covering the screw head, means on the screw engageabletemporarily from a point radial from the screw for rotating the screwforattaching and detaching the swivelled valve head and the valve stem,said stem being provided with a central recess formed in the inner endof the stem reducing frictional contact area between the stem and thevalve head, and a lock washer arranged in the recess of the inner end ofthe stem and interposed between the shouldered head of the screw and thestem to prevent unscrewing of the screw.

10. In a compression valve structure of the class described, a valvebody having a valve seat, a rotatable valve stem, a valve headcomprising a member having a peripheral flange projecting from one faceto form a recess, a shouldered screw extending through the valve headfrom the recess and threaded into the stem and forming a swivelledconnection between the valve head and the stem and attaching the valveheac to the stem, said screw being rigid with the stem and rotatable infixed relation therewith independently of the valve head, awear-resisting member seated in the recess and permanently securedtherein by the peripheral flange and permanently covering the screw headand adapted to be carried into contact with the valve seat by the stem,said valve head being provided in its face contacting with the stem witha groove for affording access to the screw for rotating the same afterthe wear-resisting member has been permanently secured in said recesswhereby the head, the wear-resisting member and the screw may beassembled a a permanent unit before being applied to the stem.

11. In a compression valve structure of the character described, a valvebody having a valve seat, a rotatable valve stem, a valve head com-'prising a member having a peripheral flange projecting from one face toform a recess, a shouldered screw extending through the valve head fromthe recess and threaded into the stem and forming a swivelled connectionbetween the valve head and the stem and attachin the valve head to thestem, said screw being rigid with the stem and rotatable infixedrelation therewith independently of the valve head, awear-resisting member seated in the recess and permanently securedtherein by the peripheral flange and permanently covering the screwhead, and adapted to be carried into contact with the valve seat by thestem, said valve head being provided between the face contacting thestem and the wear-resisting member with means for affording access tothe screw for rotating the same after the wear-resisting member has beenpermanently secured in said recess, whereby the head, the wearresistingmember and the screw may be assembled as a permanent unit before beingapplied to the stem, said valve head being provided with a recess in itsstem contacting face to reduce frictional area between the stem and thevalve head.

LEWIS DRIVER DRAKE.

CERTIFICATE OF (D ERECTION Patent No. 2,27l,59l. January 27, 1911.2.

LEWIS DRIVER DRAKE.

Iti-s hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1;,sec-' 0nd column, line 15, claini 10, for "a a" read --as a-; and thatthe said Letters Patent should be" read with this correction thereinthat the same may conform to the record of the case in the PatentOffice.

Signed and seal-ed this Zhth day of March, A. D. 1911.2.

Henry Van Arsdale,

' (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

